New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno today joined entrepreneur and reality-television celebrity Buddy Valastro, the Cake Boss, on a tour of his family’s fourth and largest bakery store to-date, which recently opened to much fanfare in Red Bank, New Jersey. Carlo’s Bakery is known for its quality wedding cakes, specialty cakes and baked goods. The Red Bank store joins three other established locations of the famous bakery in Hoboken, Ridgewood and Westfield.

“The Christie Administration is committed to cultivating a climate that encourages businesses of all shapes and sizes to invest in this state,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “The Valastro Family’s thriving bakeries and their continued growth here sends a clear message that our efforts are netting positive results. I am proud to meet Buddy’s new employees and see this wonderful addition to their family.”

Buddy Valastro, who was born in Little Ferry, his family and their bakery business star in the hit television series “Cake Boss,” which is currently airing its sixth season on the TLC network as well as the show “Next Great Baker.” Carlo’s Bakery was originally opened by Carlo Guastaffero in 1910 and was acquired by Bartolo Valastro Sr. in 1964. The Valastro Family, along with their experienced bakers and staff of close to 450 staff, continue and expand upon Bartolo Sr.’s dream and have seen in flourish.

“After years of growth, we are proud to realize this fourth location and open our doors in Red Bank,” said Buddy Valastro, who is an accomplished fourth generation baker born into the business owned and operated by his parents. “My family is grateful for the support that we received from the people of this state and we are also proud to be an employer of some pretty fantastic and talented individuals. We look forward to more expansion and growth in New Jersey.”

With products made from scratch and with a reputation of maintaining a phenomenal old world taste, Buddy’s cake designs have earned appearances on numerous media outlets, including multiple appearances on the Food Network, The Rachael Ray Show, Good Morning America and The Today Show.

Individuals interested in seeing the open kitchen, satisfying a sweet tooth, ordering a cake, taking a cake decorating class or utilizing the birthday party room, can visit the Red Bank location at 86 Broad Street or by visiting Carlo’s Bakery website at www.carlosbakery.com.

Businesses considering a move to New Jersey or in need of assistance are encouraged to call New Jersey’s Business Action Center at (866) 534-7789 or visit the State’s Business Portal at www.newjerseybusiness.gov.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops followed today with a call for prayerthat "we can continue to educate students in the fullness of our Catholic faith." And they specifically cite Pope Francis' words to Notre Dame!

But it's Catholic Schools Week, so let's focus on the positive. Don't miss theGREAT success story of Saint Agnes School in St. Paul, Minn., which was set to close in 2007 but revived itself with a simple formula: strong Catholic identity and a classical curriculum. In 2012, it was one of the nation's best on The Cardinal Newman Society's Catholic High School Honor Roll—and now it's celebrating its 125th anniversary!

In the current Wall Street Journal, Peggy Noonan points out that Washington in general (and the Obama administration in particular) seem to be so out of touch with the nation as a whole that what's happening in Washington is hardly recognizable to the average American.
And meanwhile, she notes back in America people are suffering the effects of Obama's reckless, radical, undemocratic and arguably unlawful policies.
Here's an excerpt from her column:

Meanwhile, back in America, the Little Sisters of the Poor were preparing their legal briefs. The Roman Catholic order of nuns first came to America in 1868 and were welcomed in every city they entered. They now run about 30 homes for the needy across the country. They have, quite cruelly, been told they must comply with the ObamaCare mandate that all insurance coverage include contraceptives, sterilization procedures, morning-after pills. If they don't—and of course they can't, being Catholic, and nuns—they will face ruinous fines. The Supreme Court kindly granted them a temporary stay, but their case soon goes to court. The Justice Department brief, which reads like it was written by someone who just saw "Philomena," suggests the nuns are being ignorant and balky, all they have to do is sign a little, meaningless form and the problem will go away. The sisters don't see the form as meaningless; they know it's not. And so they fight, in a suit along with almost 500 Catholic nonprofit groups.

Today, the Christie Administration released the following statement:“Mr. Wildstein's lawyer confirms what the Governor has said all along - he had absolutely no prior knowledge of the lane closures before they happened and whatever Mr. Wildstein's motivations were for closing them to begin with. As the Governor said in a December 13th press conference, he only first learned lanes were closed when it was reported by the press and as he said in his January 9th press conference, had no indication that this was anything other than a traffic study until he read otherwise the morning of January 8th. The Governor denies Mr. Wildstein's lawyer's other assertions.”

As Tony Award season approaches Broadway ramps up with a bevy of blossoming new shows.
Here are ten hugely-anticipated shows opening within the next few months:

Rocky - The musical of the Oscar-winning movie is finally ready for the stage as Rocky and Adrian prepare to burst into song. There are big names behind this big staging which will inhabit the huge, block-long Winter Garden Theater near Times Square.

Bullets Over Broadway - Featuring music from the 1920s and 30s and starring Zach Braff, this is the musicalization of the beloved 1994 movie of the same name.

A Raisin In The Sun - Lorraine Hansberry's classic is back with two of the biggest names imaginable: Danzel Washington and Diahann Carroll. With a limited 14-week run, this is bound to be a very hot ticket.

If/Then - Indina Menzel returns to Broadway in a new musical that considers what might have happened. Multiples stories, characters, sets and scenarios are said to characterize this innovative outing.

Aladdin - Look for the season's most spectacular sets. costumes and special effects in Disney's live version of its 1992 film. This looks like a show for everybody.

The Bridges of Madison County - We've already seen it but we can't tell you about it until it's official opening. Broadway favorite Kelli O'Hara returns with Steven Pasquale as her love interest and Hunter Foster as he husband in the musical version of the romantic book and movie of the same name.

All The Way - The incredible first year of the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency as Johnson pulls out all the stops to enact the Civil Rights Act with Bryan Cranston as LBJ and an all-star cast.

Les Miserables - The newly re-imagined version of this blockbuster musical (back after a five-year absence) with new stars, new sets and Ramin Karimloo making his heralded Broadway debut.

The Velocity of Autumn - Estelle Parsons. Need we say more? The legendary actress stars in this two-character opus (with Stephen Spinella) about a feisty old dame who barricades herself in her Brooklyn home.

Cabaret - Alan Cumming returns in the role that he virtually re-inveted with Danny Burstein and Michelle Williams along with that great Kander and Ebb score and all that (reinvented) decadence.

That's the motto of the famed Friars Club and it literally means fraternity forever.

And today the club welcomed a surprise guest - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie who popped into the club's Manhattan luncheon (in the ballroom of the famed Waldorf Astoria) for a Super Bowl week roast of football legend Boomer Esiason.

The appearance wasn't on Christie's official calendar and no one seemed really sure he was actually going to be there until he arrived. But our "spy" in the room (Frani Stone, the gorgeous wife of comedian/actor Stewie Stone) reports as follows:

We had a surprise guest today at the Boomer Esiason Roast.
Yes, we did. Chris Christie snuck in and did ten very funny minutes. One can see how he can charm his voters. Larry King had thought he was there in the beginning and asked him to take a bow, but he was a "no show" at that point.
When Larry realized he wasn't there he said, "I guess he got held up at the George Washington Bridge." Good line. But Christie did appear about a 1/2 hour later. The governor slipped in and slipped out, but he was definitely in the moment and gave his all on that stage. He was very comfortable. After several very funny lines he ended with the announcement of his decision to run in 2016 for the Presidency of the Football Association.

Frani (who is from New Jersey and attended junior high school with us) said she found Governor Christie to be self-deprecating and enjoyable.

Producers Jeffrey Richards, John N. Hart Jr. and Jerry Frankel, in association with the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), are pleased to announce that the limited engagement of the critically-acclaimed revival of the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) production of The Glass Menagerie at the Booth Theatre (222 W 45th Street) will host post-show talkbacks with the cast on Thursday, January 30, and Thursday, February 6, 2014.

The production, which began performances on Thursday, September 5, 2013, and officially opened on Thursday, September 26, 2013, will play its final performance on Sunday, February 23, 2014.

The production stars multiple Tony and Emmy Award-winner Cherry Jones as Amanda Wingfield, stage and screen starZachary Quinto as Tom, two-time Tony-nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger as Laura, and Brian J. Smith as Jim, the Gentleman Caller. From director John Tiffany and the Tony Award-winning team behind Once, The Glass Menageriehas set and costumes by Bob Crowley, lighting by Natasha Katz, and sound by Clive Goodwin. Original music is composed by Nico Muhly, and movement by longtime Tiffany collaborator Steven Hoggett.

Tickets can be purchased at Telecharge.com, by calling (212) 239-6200 or at the box office of the Booth Theatre.

The Glass Menagerie has been featured on more than 25 “Best of 2013” lists, including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Time Out New York, Daily News, USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, The Hollywood Reporter, The Record, The Advocate and Associated Press.

Here’s what critics have to say:

“JOHN TIFFANY’S STUNNING PRODUCTION of Tennessee Williams’s THE GLASS MENAGERIE—which stars CHERRY JONES and ZACHARY QUINTO IN CAREER-DEFINING PERFORMANCES—promises to be THE MOST REVEALING REVIVAL OF A CORNERSTONE CLASSIC FOR MANY A YEAR TO COME. BE PREPARED TO HAVE THE BREATH KNOCKED OUT OF YOU.” – Ben Brantley, The New York Times

“A THRILLING NIGHT IN THE THEATER. There’s magic from start to finish. It’s all an alchemy that must be experienced. It is, like the work itself, UNFORGETTABLE.”

“(5 stars)! Tennessee Williams classic is given A SUPERB BROADWAY REVIVAL in John Tiffany’s BRILLIANTLY ACTED, striking production. The fall season has just begun. THIS SHATTERING AND SHIMMERING GLASS MENAGERIE IS THE FIRST MUST-SEE.” – Joe Dziemianowicz, Daily News

From director John Tiffany and the Tony Award-winning team behind Once comes a spell-binding new production of Tennessee Williams’ masterpiece The Glass Menagerie. Amanda Wingfield (Cherry Jones) is a southern belle past her prime, living with two grown children in a small apartment in St. Louis. Amanda dreams of a better life for her shy and crippled daughter Laura (Celia Keenan-Bolger), and so she pushes her son Tom (Zachary Quinto) to find a “gentleman caller” for the girl. However, the arrival of the gentleman caller (Brian J. Smith) sends shockwaves through the family, and causes cracks to form in the delicate fantasies that have kept them going. A beautiful play full of poetry and longing, The Glass Menagerie makes its triumphant return to Broadway in an exquisite and groundbreaking new production.

Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award winning artist and New York Times Best Selling author Cyndi Lauper joins Cher when she brings her North American Tour, “Dressed To Kill” to Wells Fargo Center on Monday, April 28.

Tickets are on sale now exclusively through ComcastTIX at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or at the Wells Fargo Center Box Office.

Lauper has proven that she has the heart and soul to keep her legion offans compelled by her every creative move. A true renaissance woman with 30 sterling years and global record sales in excess of 50 million, Lauper continues to reach new heights as a career artist.

In 2013, Cyndi became the first solo woman to win the Tony Award for Best Original Score for Kinky Boots, itself a Tony Award Winner for Best New Musical. In addition, Cyndi marked the 30th anniversary of her debut smash hit album, She's So Unusual, with a celebratory world tour, she also released her New York Times Best Selling autobiography– Cyndi Lauper: A Memoir – published by Simon & Schuster, and continued her philanthropic work through the True Colors Fund.

The “Dressed to Kill” North American tour will celebrate Cher’s 26th solo studio album Closer to the Truth. The first single from Closer to the Truth, "Woman's World" was released in the US and Canada on June 18, 2013. Closer to the Truth includes songwriting from Timbaland and Pink, plus performances by the latter as well as the Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears.

For backstage access and exclusive pictures, follow Wells Fargo Center @WellsFargoCtr and join the conversation by using hashtag #WFCCher.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie yesterday submitted a request to President Obama for a six-month extension of a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) temporary housing assistance program that continues to shelter 81 of the hardest hit families who have not been able to find more permanent housing or repair their homes damaged in Superstorm Sandy. The assistance is currently scheduled to end on April 1, 2014.

“While most Sandy-impacted residents have returned to stable homes in their communities, some of the most vulnerable families still have not been able to secure permanent housing despite best efforts to assist them,” said Governor Christie. “A six-month extension of temporary housing assistance would tremendously help these residents and provide them with more time to find longer term housing solutions.”

In the aftermath of the storm, the Christie Administration requested that the federal government activate FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program, which allowed eligible Sandy survivors who could not return to their homes because of damage caused by the storm to stay in participating hotels and motels until more permanent housing was found. The state also requested the federal government to provide temporary housing for displaced residents at the former Fort Monmouth military base, which is located in close proximity to some of the hardest hit communities. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers renovated 122 vacant units for this purpose. The state also requested temporary housing units (THUs) - manufactured homes that are placed on existing commercial mobile home park pads - so that residents wishing to be temporarily housed in or near their communities could do so. The THU option was selected by 85 households.

More than 5,500 households were participating in the TSA program at its peak and the state was able to transition these residents out of the program and into more suitable housing within six months of the storm through aggressive outreach and case management. Additionally, many Sandy-displaced families have moved out of the Fort Monmouth temporary housing and THUs and into permanent housing.

However, the Christie Administration, working in close collaboration with FEMA, continues to actively case manage approximately 81 families - 49 families living at Fort Monmouth and approximately 32 families who are in THUs. Of the 81 families, 75 are homeowners, most of whom are still awaiting insurance settlements to fund repairs and 31 of the families have been preliminarily approved for rebuilding grants under the State’s Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program.

“These residents are facing extraordinary circumstances in their marathon efforts to return to a normal life,” said New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Richard E. Constable, III, whose department administers most of the state’s Sandy housing recovery programs. “We are hopeful that FEMA direct housing assistance will continue to support the Christie Administration’s housing recovery initiatives so that we collectively can help these Sandy-displaced families cross the finish line and move into permanent housing.”

Governor Christie in his request to President Obama said the state is building thousands of affordable housing units to replenish the substantially depleted rental supply in communities impacted by the storm and noted that this building takes time.

Nobody knows exactly why it happened or what may have prompted it.
But a 34-year-old man crashed his car into on a Philadelphia street corner and then felt the need to make a bizarre spectacle of himself while spectators nearby caught the action on a vdeocam.
After the crash, the man emerged from the car, yanked off all his clothes and began shouting and pleasuring himself.
When the police arrived they found he was unable to stand on his own and was incoherent. He was charged with driving under the influence.

We have a pretty clear message that you'll hear from law enforcement throughout this to anyone engaged in this conduct or somebody who four days out from the Super Bowl may be contemplating it: don't try it.

We have eyes and ears on the ground and in cyberspace. We are watching the Internet and we are watching the neighborhoods all across this area, and if you do try it expect that you will likely be caught, and if you are caught you are going to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law by the folks you see, some of the folks you see standing behind me, and some that are sitting here in the front row.

We're committed to this fight, especially this week, to make sure people understand when they draw all this attention to the Super Bowl, that there are things that go on connected to the Super Bowl that are not things that we would want connected with this type of American event, and we're going to do everything in our power to make sure these folks don't do this and don't, don't profit from it, in fact pay with their freedom.

Winterfest 2014 features live bands throughout the day, a complete beer garden with unlimited samplings of over 140 beers from 75 different breweries, and hot grab-n-go food. Five incredible areas are accessible throughout the festival including the Victory Winter Games Lodge, Whiskey & Cider Lounge, Bourbon Barn, Bullies Beer Garden and the Stout and Porter Room. Incredible music, contests, and prize giveaways will take place throughout the festival.

XFINITY Live! Philadelphia is a dining and entertainment district centered in the heart of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The one-of-a-kind venue features over a dozen restaurant and entertainment choices, including six main venues: Broad Street Bullies Pub, PBR Bar & Grill (Professional Bull Riders), Philly MarketPlace, Spectrum Grill, Victory Beer Hall and the first-ever NBC Sports Arena. XFINITY Live! is a joint partnership between Philadelphia-based Comcast-Spectacor and Baltimore-based The Cordish Companies.

Events slated for week of February 2 at the main branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.

Just Added!

Betty Medsger | The Burglary: The Discovery of J. Edgar Hoover's Secret FBIThursday, February 6, 2014 at 7:30 PM; FREE No tickets or reservations required. For more info: 215-567-4341In 1971 a group of unlikely activists--ordinary people from diverse walks of life--broke into an FBI office just outside of Philadelphia and stole thousands of files that documented the dirty tricks, Constitutional violations, and domestic spying of J. Edgar Hoover's "shadow" agency. Washington Post reporter Betty Medsger was the first to receive and report on these files. In The Burglary, she details how their actions "dealt the first significant blow to an institution that had amassed enormous power and prestige" (New York Times) in this chillingly prescient tale that seems to foreshadow post-9/11 spying and state secrets. In conversation with Bonnie and John Raines and Keith Forsyth

Armistead Maupin | The Days of Anna MadrigalMonday, February 3, 2014 at 7:30 PM; buy tickets online>>From trailblazing newspaper serial to bestselling series of novels to acclaimed PBS series, Armistead Maupin'sTales of the City is celebrated as an "extended love letter to a magical San Francisco" (New York Times Book Review). The series chronicles the ongoing lives, loves, and quirks of the denizens of a Bay Area apartment building. At times both sentimental and "cheerfully raunchy" (Miami Herald), Maupin's work has also portrayed thinly veiled versions of real-life people and events, and were some of the first books to address the AIDS epidemic. Maupin is also the author of the novels Maybe the Moonand The Night Listener. The ninth and final novel in the Tales of the City saga follows the comic and touching titular character of Anna Madrigal, the elderly transgendered landlady of 28 Barbary Lane, as she considers her mortality and attempts to reconcile the past.

Philip Schultz | The Wherewithal: A Novel in VerseTuesday, February 4, 2014 at 7:30 PM; buy tickets online>>At turns "prayerful, nostalgic, and elegiac" (Library Journal) and "raging, kaleidoscopic...exhilarating" (Booklist),Philip Schultz is preeminent among American poets. His many collections include The God of Loneliness, Deep Within the Ravine, and Failure, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. He is the founder/director of The Writers Studio and a recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Among many other publications, his poetry and fiction have appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, and the Paris Review, and in 2011 he published a memoir, My Dyslexia. Schultz once again pens "his plainly framed, consistently articulated joys and sorrows" (Publisher's Weekly) in The Wherewithal, a collection of linked verse in which a young man hiding from the Vietnam War draft translates his mother's Holocaust diary.

One Book, One Philadelphia Opening Program Featuring Kevin PowersWednesday, February 5, 2014 at 7:30 PM; FREE No tickets or reservations required. For more info: 215-567-7710Celebrate the start of One Book's 12th year with a reading and talk by authorKevin Powers and an evening of theater and music. The event will feature a screening of vignettes from In Conflict, a drama drawn from interviews by Iraq War veterans and adapted by Temple University professor Douglas C. Wager from a book by journalist Yvonne Latty. The program will conclude with a special performance of an original composition inspired by The Yellow Birds, written by Alyssa Weinberg of the Curtis Institute of Music and performed on cello by Curtis student Tim Petrin.Lead Sponsor:

Roddy Doyle | The Guts with Wesley Stace | WonderkidFriday, February 7, 2014 at 7:30 PM; FREE No tickets or reservations required. For more info: 215-567-4341 "Feisty, funky, rude, unpretentious and great fun" (Time Out), prolific novelist, dramatist, children's author, and screenwriter Roddy Doyle writes fiction rooted in the vibrant colloquialisms and tight relationships of the Irish working class. His novel Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Hawon the Man Booker Prize. The Guts is the latest chapter in the Barrytown series. The first three novels-The Commitments, The Snapper, and The Van-were critical darlings and adapted into successful movies.

Under the name John Wesley Harding, novelist, singer, and songwriter Wesley Stace has released 15 albums in genres ranging from folk to pop music. His Cabinet of Wonders variety show, recently launched on NPR, has featured performances by countless rock luminaries. "The poignant and mordantly funny" (The Village Voice) Stace's new novel, Wonderkid, follows the commercial and critical success of his previous books, Misfortune, by George, and Charles Jessold, Considered as a Murderer.

Former ABC Philly reporter, radio host, public relations consultant and occasional Save Jersey contributor Susanne LaFrankie (R-Haddonfield) could soon be the latest entry into this year’s wide-open GOP U.S. Senate sweepstakes to face Sen. Cory Booker (D-Twitter) in November.

I can confirm that Susanne is actively consulting with party leaders and professionals this week. She’s also been mentioned as a possible CD1 candidate in recent weeks but her broadcasting experience and name recognition in Southern New Jersey (plus Burlington and Mercer) could give her an edge in a Republican U.S. Senate primary if “big” and/or well-heeled names continue to scoff the race.

Stay tuned…

For South Jerseyans interesting in taking a walk down memory lane (and those of you from North New Jersey who don’t know her), here’s vintage footage of Susanne on WPVI-6 heading into Memorial Day Weekend 1991…

While the frigid temperatures Philadelphia has been experiencing may keep most inside, the Philadelphia Flyers are embracing the cold weather and taking the game outside to the ponds of the greater Philadelphia area.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, January 29) at 4 pm Flyers alumni Bob “The Hound” Kelly, Todd Fedoruk and several members from the Flyers Community Relations staff are hosting a surprise after school pond hockey game with local kids on the reservoir in Crestmont Park. The event will take place directly across from the Willow Grove Mall on Old Welsh Road.

Hockey players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to participate and play a pickup game with these two pros and Flyers staff. Participating players will receive autographs from the alumni, Flyers-themed gifts, hot beverages and more.

The Flyers host the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday, January 28 at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available by calling 215-218-PUCK (7825) and visiting PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.

The Adirondack Phantoms return to Philadelphia for two games in February. The Phantoms will face off against the Hershey Bears on Saturday, February 1 at 1 p.m., followed by the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday, February 22 at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be played at the Wells Fargo Center. Tickets are on sale now by calling 215-218-PUCK (7825) and visiting PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.

For the most up-to-date information and season schedule, visit the official team website PhiladelphiaFlyers.com.

Pete Seeger was perhaps America's most beloved singer of folk songs and one of our most accomplished musicians.

He was a natural.

In fact, Seeger's banjo was like an extension of himself. You simply could not picture him without it.

But, more than that, his voice was a distinctly American voice. His cadence and phrasing, his emphasis and timing made each song come alive.

That distinctive voice has been stilled with Seeger's death at 94.

Through his performances, his actions, his commitment and the life he led, Pete Seeger demonstrated that you could disagree with your country, you could dissent and you could protest and still be a patriot.

He had a simplicity about him that many of America's current ego-anchored performers would be wise to emulate. With Pete, it was never about him. It was about the songs and the music and his colleagues and what he believed in and the land he loved. Because of his natural grace, you could disagree with Pete Seeger and still enjoy his music, still admire him, still care about him.

Pete Seeger was a national treasure.

He was at the forefront of the labor movement, the struggle for Civil Rights, the peace and anti-war movements, and the fight for a clean world. He was a beacon for hope for millions of people all over the world. Once blacklisted from national television for being unafraid to voice his opinions, he was given the nation’s highest artistic honors at the Kennedy Center in 1994. In January 1996 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Although he left Harvard during his second year, in the spring of 1996 he was awarded the Harvard Arts Medal, presented annually to a Harvard graduate who has made an important contribution to the arts. He won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album of 1996 in 1997 for his Living Music recording “Pete.”

In April 2000, he was named one of America’s Living legends by the Library of Congress.

The recognition of Pete Seeger’s invaluable contributions to American culture and history continued in the 21st century. He won a Grammy Award in 2008 for his Appleseed Recording, “Pete Seeger: At 89,” and again in 2011 for his “Tomorrow’s Children” album.

Pete Seeger was chosen to sing at the January 2008 inauguration of President Barack Obama, where he sang all of the verses to Woody Guthrie’s iconic “This Land is Your Land.” He celebrated his 90th birthday on May 3, 2009 with family and friends at a sold-out concert in New York’s Madison Square Garden.

New Jersey State Senator Robert Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) issued the following statement on the “New Jersey Legislative Select Committee on Investigation,” which was established today via Senate and Assembly adoption:

“I am deeply concerned that Legislative Democrats are taking this committee down a purely partisan path to divert from what should be fair and transparent fact-finding mission into Port Authority lane alterations.

“While trying to portray that this is a ‘bipartisan committee,’ the sham of a resolution passed this afternoon by Democrat committee members has positioned their political party to have absolute control over subpoena power and any documents or information.

“In terms of membership, the committee breakdowns are troubling to say the least. It’s 2-to-1, Democrat, and 3-to-1, Senate Democrat, which is not consistent with the ratio of Democrats to Republicans in the New Jersey Legislature. This statewide committee lacks an appropriate proportion of members from South Jersey.

"Democrats have also concocted this panel to be led by two co-chairpersons from their own political party who have waged political wars against Gov. Christie: One ran against him as the Democrats Lt. Governor candidate and the other is the former head of the State Democratic Committee who reportedly may aspire to be governor. Can we really believe that these chairpersons have or will maintain a nonpartisan approach?

“The people have every right to demand – and my colleagues and I will try to ensure – a truly bipartisan service from this committee, which ironically has lacked any sort of reasonable transparency and balance of power in trying to address a matter of transparency and use of power.”

Both the Assembly (70-0) and State Senate (38-0) approved ACR10/SCR49 today, Save Jerseyans, combining the legislature’s separate Bridgegate special investigatory committees into a single joint alternative.

“Everyone is interested in obtaining the facts and truth on this issue. This information must be obtained and distributed in a bipartisan manner. One does not have to be an expert in math to recognize the fact that the 12-member committee, comprised of eight Democrats and four Republicans is something quite less than equal.

"You don’t have to be smarter than a 5th grader to realize that inequity. The opportunity for Republicans to receive the timely dissemination of information as our counterparts is questionable. The imbalance of the committee raises questions about how the process will work and its fairness. The bipartisan teeter-totter of this committee is weighted decidedly on the Democrats’ side.”

It’s par for the course behavior for John Wisniewski and his cronies. What’s at risk? Getting real answers as opposed a lame witch hunt. Asm. Michael Patrick Carroll (R-Morris), one of the joint committee’s twelve members, did a great job of articulating GOP concerns to Save Jersey back on January 16th. It’s worth a first or second read. Click here.

My question: if the committee’s structure is flawed (and I believe it is), then why did every Republican vote for it?

The beginning of Jesus' public life, starting from “Galilee of the Gentiles”, as it was called by the prophet Isaiah, was the topic of Pope Francis' reflection during this Sunday's Angelus, attended by thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Jesus' mission, he said, “did not set out from Jerusalem, the religious, social and political centre, but rather began in a peripheral zone, an area regarded with disdain by the most devout Jews, on account of the presence in the region of various foreign populations. For this reason, the prophet Isaiah referred to it as 'Galilee of the Gentiles'”.

“It was a border area, a transit zone where people of different races, cultures and religions encountered one another. Galilee therefore became a symbolic place for the opening of the Gospel to all peoples. From this point of view, Galilee resembles today's world: the co-presence of various cultures, the need for comparison and encounter. We too are immersed every day in a 'Galilee of the Gentiles', and in this type of context we can become fearful and give in to the temptation to build barriers, to feel more secure, more protected. But Jesus teaches us that the Good News He brings is not reserved for a part of humanity, but rather is to be communicated to all. It is a joyful proclamation, destined to all those who await it, but also to those who perhaps no longer await anything, or who no longer have even the strength to seek and to ask”.

Setting out from Galilee, Jesus “teaches us that no-one is excluded from God's salvation; on the contrary, God prefers to begin in the periphery, with those who are last in line, to reach everyone. He teaches us a method, His method, which however expresses the content, the mercy, of the Father. … We are all invited to heed this call, to come out of our own comfort zone and reach out to the peripheries in need of the light of the Gospel”.

Jesus began his mission “not only from a location far from the centre, but also with men one might describe as having a 'low profile'. To choose his first disciples and future apostles, he did not seek in the schools of scribes or among doctors of the Law, but among simple people committed to preparing themselves for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Jesus goes to call them where they work, on the banks of the lake: they are fishermen. He calls them and they follow Him, immediately. They leave their nets and go with Him; their lives become an extraordinary and fascinating adventure”.

“The Lord calls today too! The Lord passes along the streets of our everyday lives. Today, too, in this very moment, the Lord passes through the squares. He calls us to go with Him, to work with Him for the Kingdom of God, in the 'Galilees' of our times”.

Iconic Grammy Award winner and music legend Barry Gibb brings his Mythology: The Tour Live to Wells Fargo Center on Monday, May 19.

Tickets will go on-sale on Monday, February 3 at 10 a.m. exclusively through ComcastTIX, online at ComcastTIX.com, by phone at 1-800-298-4200, or in person at the Wells Fargo Center box office.

With a career that spans more than five decades, Barry Gibb stands as one of the most prolific singer/songwriter/producers in music history. As the co-founder and creative leader of "The Brothers Gibb," better known to the world as The Bee Gees, Barry Gibb along with his brothers Maurice and Robin, represents one of the most successful vocal groups in rock and roll history, having sold more than 200million albums worldwide. With their signature vocal style and blending of musical influences, the music of the Bee Gees has crossed all musical genres from Pop and R&B to Country and Rock & Roll, and became the face of a new genre of music when they ushered in the age of Disco with their contributions to 1977's mega-hit soundtrack for"Saturday Night Live." They are the only group in history to write, produce and record six straight No. 1 hits and have garnered 16 Grammy Award nominations and nine Grammy wins.

Barry Gibb is also a prolific and successful songwriter, and is a fellow of theBritish Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors. In 1977, Gibb saw five of his songs simultaneously enter the Top Ten of theBillboard Hot 100, and for one week in March, four of the top five songs were written by him. His songs were No. 1 for 27 out of 37 weeks from 24 December 1977 to 2 September 1978. Gibb also holds a very unusual record, in that he is the only songwriter in history to write four successive US number one hits: in 1978, the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" was replaced at number one by Andy Gibb's single, "Love Is Thicker Than Water", followed by the Bee Gees' "Night Fever" for their longest run, seven weeks. This was then replaced by Yvonne Elliman's "If I Can't Have You".

As a songwriter Gibb has had No. 1 songs in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s 1990s and 2000s, when "Islands in the Stream" became No. 1 in the UK as the comic relief single for 2009. His songs have been recorded by numerous artists, includingAl Green,Wyclef Jean,Janis Joplin,Jimmy Little,Barry Manilow,Olivia Newton-John,Roy Orbison,Elvis Presley,Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Nina Simone, Barbra Streisand, Tina Turner, Conway Twitty,Frankie Valli, Luther Vandross and Dionne Warwick. Gibb has also produced albums for Andy Gibb, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand and Dionne Warwick.

For exclusive backstage info and pictures follow us at @WellsFargoCtr. Join the conversation about this concert at #WFCBarryGibb.

Bridges, bridges, bridges.
While the media still seem to be obsessed with Bridgegate, on Broadway the focus is shifting to not just one but many bridges. Many, as in The Bridges of Madison County, the new musical adapted from the 1995 film which was itself based on the 1992 novel of the same name.
We never read the book nor did we see the movie which was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Eastwood and Meryl Streep. But over the weekend we did see the musical which has been put together by many of the same team members who gave us the musical, The Light in the Piazza.
The Bridges of Madison County tells the story of a married but lonely Italian woman, living in 1960s Madison County, Iowa, who has an affair with a National Geographic photographer from Washington state who is visiting Madison County to create a photographic essay on the covered bridges in the area. This new musical version of the story stars Tony award-winner Kelli O'Hara and Steven Pasquale (from TV's Rescue Me) in the principal roles. Pasquale is making his Broadway debut in this musical.

The show is now in previews and doesn't officially open till February 20 so it would be unfair for us to give you a review here. We'll hold off and weigh in on this show when it officially opens.

But, we will tell you this: There are no actual bridges in The Bridges of Madison County, the musical.

While we were in New York we stayed right on Times Square at Marriott's Renaissance Times Square hotel and we were delighted with our stay. The hotel could not have a more perfect location. But, beyond that, the staff is friendly and helpful, our room was spacious (with a king size bed and large bath) and beautifully appointed and the hotel's extraordinary R Lounge at Two Times Square boasts panoramic views of Times Square and theatre district.

Rising 26 stories above Times Square (we stayed on the 20th floor) this full-service hotel has the soul of a boutique hotel with beautifully crafted interiors by renowned designer Jordan Mozer. Distinct among hotels in New York, it features completely redesigned guest rooms with hardwood furniture, luxurious bathrooms and state-of-the-art technology.

Only steps away from midtown's famed entertainment, attractions and Fortune 500 headquarters, guests can enjoy cocktails or a snack at R Lounge, before venturing out to Rockefeller Center or the theater district. With a AAA Four-Diamond rating and a prime location on Broadway and Seventh, we have to agree that this luxury hotel is the epitome of urban oasis.

We dined a couple of blocks away from the hotel at a restaurant we've often passed by but never tried: Cafe Un Deux Trois, a spacious French bistro that attracts a big crowd.

What attracted us was the $30, three-course, pre theatre dinner menu. Here is one our entrees (talapia) shown exactly as it was presented to us:

The service was prompt but the entrees (the other one was chicken cordon bleau) were only lukewarm and the food service staff seemed to have little time to indulge any comments, requests or chit chat. The place has been at the same location for decades and was very crowded on Friday night, so it does have a following. But, in the end we're afraid this was a case of "you get what you pay for, sorta."

For breakfast the next morning we ventured over to T45, the bright, sleek American diner inside the brand new Hyatt Times Square on 45th St. near Broadway.

Thank goodness Hyatt has finally come to the Times Square area. This was long overdue. The 54-story hotel is a new generation of Hyatt. Each floor contains only 11 larger-than-usual rooms (averaging 364 square-feet), all featuring floor to ceiling windows. Guests are greeted and comfortably checked in via iPad, as a wave-like undulation of bronze and walnut draws your eyes around the sleek, oasis-like lobby.

The George Wong designed T45 Midtown Diner on the ground floor serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, including takeout service so whenever the mood strikes, you can order ready-to-go meals and snacks – either on the hotel's app or by phone-- and (if your a guest of the hotel) have your food delivered straight to your room.

Of course, there's plenty of space to dine-in (with big, comfortable booths and soft tones throughout) and that's what we decided to do. Hyatt says the diner is designed to "reflect the energy of Broadway, complete with a theatrical back wall of moving lights." Cool! The young and eager-to-please staff is friendly and very accommodating.

We must warn you, however: A very nice American breakfast for two here will set you back $50 or more. We did check the lunch menu though and found it to be quite reasonable and much more price competitive.

Anyway, our breakfast was wonderful: Fresh hot coffee, two eggs with bacon, home fries and toast exactly as we ordered them and a huge bowl of delicious, steel-cut oatmeal perfectly cooked. Below, the photos of the diner itself and our entrees:

Suffice it to say we definitely will be returning to T45, especially for lunch.

BTW: Hyatt's new Bar54 at the top of the hotel will open on February 14 and it promises not only spectacular views but specialty cocktails, fine wines and gourmet small plates where guests can mingle around cozy fireplaces, indoors and out. We're told this hot new nightlife destination is already being acclaimed as an exciting addition to Times Square’s bar scene.

Mayor DiBlasio's apparent disdain for Manhattan's upper east side notwithstanding, we were able to venture into New York over the weekend and visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art right smack in the middle of the city's vaulted silk stocking district.
And yes, things were functioning as well as they could, considering the inane move by the mayor and his cohorts to "punish" an area that represents an important economic asset for the whole town and, indeed the whole nation. Much as some may not like it, so long as we still maintain some semblance of a free enterprise system there are always gonna be people who are more well off than others. And as Mae West once said: "Honey, I've been rich and I've been poor and believe me, rich is better."
Anyway, what brought us to the Met Museum was a dazzling exhibition of jewels. Yes, jewels as in diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and the like -- spectacular jewels that adorn the rich and famous.
These are Jewels by JAR - Joseph A. Rosenthal. This man became one of the most acclaimed jewelry designers of the 20th century.
These incredible pieces (bracelets, earrings, cuffs, brooches, neckpieces and many more) will be on display though March 9. You will be amazed at both the creativity and the workmanship of more than 300 incredible pieces beautifully displayed.
Born in New York and educated at Harvard, Rosenthal moved to Paris soon after his graduation in 1966 and began to experiment with jewelry making. JAR opened in 1978 on the Place Vendôme—the same space he occupies today. Very early in his career, Rosenthal revealed his superb sense of color, whether in the hue of an exotic violet sapphire, the shimmer of topaz and ruby, or the simple clarity of a perfect diamond. His works quickly became known for their unique design, the quality of their stones, and their remarkable craftsmanship, but above all for their fearless beauty. He is known for his pavé technique—the setting of small stones so close together that they appear as a continuous surface of jewels—and uses subtle gradations of color to create a painterly effect.
The exhibition is the first devoted to a contemporary artist of gems at the Metropolitan Museum and features a selection of JAR's finest pieces—from jewels in classical flower forms and organic shapes to witty objets d'art—all executed with the most exquisite gem stones including diamonds, sapphires, garnets, topazes, tourmalines, and citrines in an original combination of colors. Rosenthal's one-of-a-kind creations place him among the ranks of history's greatest jewelers.
The exhibition is the first retrospective of his work in America; the only other major exhibition of Rosenthal's work was held in 2002 at Somerset House in London.

Sitetopia.com recently conducted a survey and discovered that people with these first names make the beat spouses. If your first name is one of these (and ours is) congratulations! If your husband's or wife's first name is one of these, well -- you're in luck.Click here for more.

True Detective is written by Nic Pizzolatto and directed by Cary Fukunaga. It centers on two detectives, Rust Cohle (Matthew McConaughey) and Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson), whose lives collide and entwine during a seventeen-year hunt for a serial killer in Louisiana. The investigation of a bizarre murder in 1995 is framed and interlaced with testimony from the detectives in 2012, when the case has been reopened.

Watch new episodes of True Detective every Sunday at 9PM, only on HBO.

Total Pageviews

Subscribe!

Founder and Editor in Chief

About Dan Cirucci

He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals.

For many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He currently serves as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and was inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame in 2003. He received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. The Award is the Section's highest honor. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

OnTopList

Blog Flux

Attributions & Terms Of Use

Unless explicitly attributed to others, the opinions and views expressed on this blog are my own, and do not represent the views of any employer or other organization.

By using this blog, you agree that all original content on this blog is copyright of Daniel A. Cirucci. You may quote from my posts provided that you clearly identify me as the author, link to the original post or home address of this blog, and do not charge for access to the website, publication or other media in which the quote appears.

I like to link to people who link to me.

Although comments are moderated, I accept no responsibility for what other people say, and I reserve the right to block or remove any comment for any reason or no reason.

Any e-mails sent to me are subject to publication, and any disputes regarding this site will be litigated exclusively in the jurisidiction in which I reside at the time of the dispute.

About Lijit AdsWe now have Lijit Ads on our web site. Please note that Lijit's Privacy Policy can be found here. Lijit collects only anonymous information unless a reader chooses to submit personal information to Lijit. Lijit permits readers to opt out of the collection of this anonymous site visit data by clicking here.

More visits every day!

Now, more than 2.1 MILLION page views for the Dan Cirucci Blog!

Why politics?

"I love politics. Politics is serious, earnest, crucial, necessary—the venue in which we decide much of our country’s future. Beyond that I love the great game of it—the wins and losses, flubs and failures. The mess, the occasional glory. Even at its most disappointing high politics is the greatness game. Its necessities—caring, taking part, voting—remind us that, as Laurens van der Post once said, we are living not only our own lives but the life of our times." -Peggy Noonan

Chris Christie LOVES The Dan Cirucci Blog!

Click above to hear what New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has to say about the Dan Cirucci Blog!